Dash cam video of Stafford County suspect shooting at cops, leading high-speed chase released

STAFFORD, Va. - The Stafford County Sheriff’s Office has released dash cam footage that was recorded from a deputy’s cruiser during a high-speed pursuit of a 42-year-old man suspected of killing his wife last week.

The video shows a Stafford County deputy driving onto Interstate 95 following behind a Virginia State Police cruiser already in pursuit of the suspect driving a Ford Explorer. During the chase, the SUV slows down and fires several shots at the deputy out of his driver’s side window, causing the deputy to swerve to the right shoulder of the highway.

Officials said one of the bullets fired struck the windshield of the deputy’s vehicle and narrowly missed him. The bullet was found lodged in the driver's side headrest.

The Ford Explorer then speeds off again with both the deputy and the Virginia State Police trooper in pursuit again. About 30 seconds later, the suspect loses control of his SUV and crashes into the right guardrail of the roadway, flipping over onto its hood.

The suspect, identified as 42-year-old Gregory Lee, was found in the crashed SUV with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, according to officials. He was flown to the hospital where he later died overnight.

Authorities say Lee was suspected of shooting and killing his wife, 36-year-old Melissa Lee, at England Run North Apartments in Fredericksburg earlier that morning. A Virginia State Police trooper spotted Lee's vehicle shortly after the shooting and attempted to conduct a traffic stop, which then sparked the pursuit.

Before the deputy arrived to the chase, police also say Lee fired his weapon at the trooper, which resulted with a bullet going through the windshield of his cruiser and becoming lodged in the driver's seat. The trooper was able to duck away from getting struck and was not injured.

Court records showed Lee was a registered sex offender – convicted of attempted rape back in 1999 in Alexandria. Records also show he was convicted twice of assaulting a law enforcement officer – first in 1996 and then again ten years later along with eluding police, DUI and hit-and-run.